You are currently browsing the daily archive for August 6th, 2008.
We just crossed into Wisconsin after a long, congested, and toll infested drive around the Chicago area. The sun is setting here and there is a light drizzle starting to pick up with a beautiful sunset to the west. As you can see Jessica is now at the helm – maybe I can get some sleep now after driving the last 8 hours.
The obligatory mirror shot:
We’re right outside of Chicago… On a TOLL expressway apparently. Eighty cents or a buck every few miles? Not to be rude, but what’s the point of a toll road in the middle of the country? It’s not like we’re crossing a bridge, taking a tunnel or a ferry or something. Hmmmm… Well, I guess the worst part about it isn’t the eighty cents, it’s the starting and stopping that is messing with my precious MPGs. 
We woke up at 7:40 am, I had my one cup of instant coffee (which isn’t really a good substitute), and started getting ready. Adolfo was trying to leave the house, as I was just getting my todo list written. Oh what a headache. I don’t advise trying to pack a three bedroom house, move it out, and leave the state in only ONE Week! My nerves are shot.
9 am hits and we’re scrambling. Adolfo wanted to be at the Secretary of State by now, and our stuff is not nearly ready to be put in the car. Showers of kitchen trash bags were being thrown on the curb for trash pickup, 3 days away. Our plan to organize and sort months of mail and paperwork was abandoned as mounds of neglected junk mail were stuffed in suitcases. We had decided rather haphazardly that rather than “process” the piles that were collected while packing, we would hide them for a few weeks longer at our unsuspecting friend, Jerome’s house.
Shortly after 10 am my dear friend Lacy arrives to show us off, as we shovel more food into her car, and other random things that didn’t quite fit into the POD.
She brought my first food of the day, some very yummy muffins made from the pumpkin bread mix I had unloaded on her the night before. Our neighbor Lezlee graciously took my potted tomato plant off our deck, as we waved goodbye to our lovely house.
Three hours later as we are finally ready to hit the road. My poor headache screaming for some food, or caffeine, or anything else that might nourish my exhausted body. Already car sick, I get a slight glimmer of hope when we realize that we’ll have to stop for gas in less that 50 miles. (A secret smile to myself.)
2:30 pm Oh relief! Never has a Diet Mt. Dew tasted so good. Adolfo wasn’t interested in eating apparently, as six thirty was his first food suggestion. I was worried that I might have to settle for the scary gigantic deli pickle in the rural Michigan gas station / family restaurant. Something about them floating in the huge glass jar on the counter didn’t really hit the spot for me.
2:50 pm Saved! I spent a good twenty minutes starring at the Big Golden arches, and with a realization that 2 muffins all day until dinner doesn’t cut if for me, we stop. (In all honesty, if Adolfo had gotten the powerbook tethered to the phone’s internet working, then I’d still be hungry.) So twenty minutes with McDonald’s wifi and we’re all set. I’m fed, and Adolfo is a happy computer nerd. 
I’m on the internet right now as we’re driving towards Chicago!
SIde notes, as I was writing this…
Funny we just past Albion, MI. I used to know someone who lived there.
Adolfo’s iphone is awesome because it has GPS and we’re watching ourselves drive, as we drive. He just took a screen grab for the blog, and I have to say that we looked a little odd at the gas station. I was texting, Adolfo was on the iphone and the computer, not to mention we have a power inverter that runs our 120v outlet to charge them all, plus our plug-in 20 can cooler. (Times have sure changed since my family road trips back in the day with the good old books on tape.)
So, after some last minute errands, we are on our way – finally! What exactly took us this long to get out of town? Well, let’s see. We had to stop by the Secretary of State (DMV) to take care of some car registration issues, AAA to get our maps, a stop at the bank to deposit the check from the title company, another stop at the post office to mail some goodies to Mr. Calvin Jewett, swing by the house one last time to pick up a forgotten item, and…. at 1:15pm WE’RE OFF!
Mile 0…definitely the hardest so far.
Today’s Journey:
If you’re ever driving somewhere you’ve never been, do yourself a favor and stop by a AAA office. They have maps for every conceivable piece of geography on the planet and it’s free for members. And they can also print out a bound book for you with all your stops and points of interest. (Please be sure to mention my name so I can get my commission. Thank you.)
Turn-by-turn Directions, Food, and Lodging!
Thanks to Alice Smith at AAA in Royal Oak.
The first night we spent in our house we moved in with only a few items and slept on the living room floor of a bedless, empty house, excited with the thought of how much potential our house could have. Tonight we repeat that night with nothing but a pair of yoga mats as padding, a sleeping bag as bedding, and our two pillows. Laying here, we can’t but remember all the amazing nights we spent here in our home with friends and family. Michigan has been tough for the both of us, but we knew we could always find peace and comfort within the walls of our home. While we could never lift our home up and take it with us, we can definitely take with us some great memories. As Jessica would say, “Thank you, house!”
